Remedies
by sanjuuriki
Summary: A universe after the fourth great ninja war. Kaguya's hatred proves to be thicker than blood, and is still vividly present even after she is sealed away. It is up to a female protagonist to make the decision of what she needs to do when her former (and newer) team members face an unforeseen predicament in the aftermath of Kaguya's wrath.
1. Chapter 1: New Medicine and New Missions

Usually her blackouts took brutal tolls on her physical and mental constitutions. Upon awakening it is obvious Sakura won't be expecting herself to even _see_ straight for the next several minutes after getting up on her feet, never mind trying to walk. It's unfortunate, it's irritating, and in Sakura's eyes it's pitiful. The girl had gone through this many times in the past on countless missions as a member of team seven, broken or whole. With or without Sasuke. A pathetic reoccurring trend popular and akin to only Team Kakashi. _It isn't team seven without a fainting female kunoichi._ Sakura detests such unspoken gossip, however can't help but believe that those invisible words may be true. It's not that Sakura tries her best to faint, in fact she makes extraordinary efforts to refrain from ending up in such a submissive state. Haruno Sakura, a perfect student, a decent kunoichi, and clever at medical ninjutsu. Her combat's satisfactory, albeit straightforward and easy to anticipate as long as to not underestimate the girl. At least Naruto's been proven to be a good sport by the time the both of them parted ways on their special sanin training for the three years that separated them. He had already well accustomed himself, responding to Sakura's tendencies in the heat of battle. One could even argue that Naruto and Sakura had mastered a special, unique type of teamwork only applicable to just the two of them. They say it is so irrefutable that even Kakashi, their sensei, did not need to worry about backing the two of them up when under the pressure of a feisty attack. Talk about prince charming Uzumaki, come save the day to scoop up his darling beloved pink haired princess. Yes, this has also become another unspoken rumor that ran bitter on this kunoichi's tongue. Not that she can truly hate it, no, of course not. Sakura's unconditional gratefulness towards Naruto remained intense and never tarnished. This feeling of reverence even dates back to when they were still genin, fresh from the academy. Sakura just desired to refrain from becoming a burden to her team members. The last thing the girl wanted was to distract Naruto during times when his complete concentration was needed.

All accounted for, being a medical ninja undoubtedly has its perks. Sakura's sharp. No doubt about it. Though it is not on the level of a prodigy like Sasuke, or founded by the experience of a wise shinobi like Kakashi. Sakura still manages to make her mark as a moderately cunning ninja, cultivating her intelligence as best she can. Naturally, she'd figure there must be a threshold somewhere that could clear a way through her _denser-than-brick _blackouts while on enemy territory. She needed to be aware of her surroundings no matter what the cost and take in the information as it comes, even when collapsed and unconscious. _Consciousness. _That's the key. Sakura needed to somehow remain focused and somewhat conscious during her blackouts. If she could not fight, the least she could do was actually _know _what is happening around her. With the help of her master, the fifth hokage and legendary sanin, Tsunade, encouragement undoubtedly smiled upon this mere medical student.

The formula, product, or logic behind her concoctions requires not to be inscribed in detail, however Sakura never once quit to continue experimenting each effect of her alterations and the results it gave her. Call her crazy, call her mad. Sakura's determination had hardened, and she swore to herself that she'd find a solution, somehow. Like a maddened chemist the kunoichi would be found on miscellaneous missions trying out odd food pills and liquidized medicines before the prime of ambush or battle. The results were either _reasonably _successful or _dangerously _fatal to both her health and the team. Success rates of a mission would decrease, decline if ever her experiments were to go wrong. It appeared that the new generation of leaf shinobi are stronger willed towards protecting their comrades than completing their tasks. Regardless of Sakura's conditions, her friends had never once contemplated abandoning her.

Naturally the negative effects of Sakura's creations would anger Naruto, especially after witnessing several accounts of defective, and sometimes harmful medicine throughout their missions together. Though rest assured, Sakura was always one sweet talker whenever it came to deceiving him. Sakura could never bring herself to truly fool Naruto if it meant hurting him, but some could say that it is because of Sakura's determination to become stronger that held the power to calm Naruto and his habitual obsession to protect one of the original members of team seven.

"Relax, Naruto. Trust me, I'm working on a new potion that will help me get stronger. Please, just try to bear with me. It'll all work out when I've finally figured out the formula, you'll see. It can't harm me."

However Sakura would always assure him in such a somber tone.

"Just…Naruto, listen…I…I need your help. I need you to watch my back. I'm asking too much, I know I am, but please…just cover for me…in case something goes wrong."

In which Naruto would only smile warmly, as if waiting for Sakura to speak those words all along. He does not hesitate to reassure her with that dazzling smile of his, that cheeky _thumbs-up_, or his unconditional support.

"Of course, Sakura! You can definitely count on me." Of course Naruto would protect Sakura until the bitter end. Asking protection or support from him was easier than asking a question from a teacher in the middle of class. Even though Naruto knew very well what Sakura was capable of, he always thought she could do better, and so he never hesitated to do these _little things _for her every now and then. He is that kind of guy, after all. His friends meant the world to him. He'd fight for them in a heartbeat, even Sasuke was no different.

Naruto admired Sakura. Naturally he would respect her wishes and, like any other friend, would do whatever he could to support his own teammate (which in this case was to bail her out every time she gets whammed full on by an enemy attack at point blank). Sometimes Sakura would purposely throw herself in the line of danger, just to see if the effects of her medicines would do her any good. (Naruto obviously would beg to differ, and the two would constantly argue about that afterwards). Clearly Kakashi had his doubts. Being her mentor, he had the right to have concerns. However he understood Sakura on a level only a true teacher would know about their student. He knew that Sakura did not make these decisions hastily or based on emotions riled up and upset over things she held dear to her heart. Because of one and two, Kakashi felt that perhaps Sakura was on the right path. Perhaps Sakura was onto something useful. A chance of Sakura surpassing her master, Tsunade, and creating something of her own measures that could benefit Konoha was likely. She only needed the right push, the right resolve. Kakashi felt that she had found it. Three years after graduating the academy and Kakashi felt that Sakura had finally found something she was absolutely comfortable with. She had found her will of the fire, hardened as stone and ready to be thrown. She could not be wavered by a devil's eye, especially now that Sasuke had returned. It seemed that everything had lined up before Sakura, perfectly. However, skepticism was always welcomed, especially around shinobi, and Kakashi was certain that perfection was never at hand.

* * *

On an ordinary day when robins sang symphonies in peace over a clear blue sky, her Master, Tsunade, had summoned her disciple out of what appeared to be by a whim during one morning when her missions were declined to a minimum C-rank grade. Chaos had hovered into the negatives for activity since the fourth great shinobi war. The only troubles any of the villages faced nowadays were robberies and gangs, the leftover remains of crazed or starved men who lost their homes when Juubi cleaned its plate across the world and left miscellaneous leftover debris from its mighty attack. Not to mention the reconstruction of most of the demolished were considered laboring C-grade tasks as well.

"Yes, m'lady? You needed to speak to me?"

Sakura, who was all smiles at the time, held her psychology texts tightly to her chest as her sweet voice cooed with every word uttered, unaware of what may be in store behind the fifth hokage's lips. The scene played out unsuspecting with Sakura's typical imagination, fitted to perfection with her memories; a comfortable hokage with tea to the side, stacks of thick layered books and enormous scrolls creating mountains over her working table and at her feet. Countless.

Tsunade appeared graceful that day. Perhaps that would have to be her first sign of suspicion. Usually the leaf's hokage looked very haggard when submerged into endless paperwork, never mind detailing her irritable behaviour that followed it. Her seat had eased back, turned away from her recent pupil; too busy gazing at her village- no, at the clear sky that hovered above the world. Another messenger had brought a letter from somewhere far away, she noted. Judging by the feathers on its wings, it might have been a bird from Sunagakure. Someone would take care of it, she was sure. Someone always did.

"Sakura, you are an adult, now." Tsunade unexpectedly chuckles softly after saying so. "No, you've been an adult for quite a while." She then proceeds to clear her throat, a small sign of faint anxiety that emerges from her student.

"Chunin-level kunoichi no longer have a need for their mentors, their teachers, their…_Masters_."

At that moment Sakura's heart had instantaneously skipped a beat, emerald eyes diluting when pooling her visions of the woman who spoke to her. At the speed of light her mind conducted several flashbacks belonging to a memory of a similar speech Iruka had given the former students of the Academy at their graduation. Yet, Tsunade's words were nowhere close to the _congratulation _speech Iruka had given them as a sign of their dismissal as _mere children of the Leaf_. No, those words were far different from what she had heard several years ago.

The kunoichi swallowed difficulty as she listened to her Master's fluidly speaking lips; words that were at first foreign to her brain soon after began to break through her head.


	2. Chapter 2: Old Eyes and Old Faces

"There was a reason why the third hokage teamed you up with Naruto and Sasuke." Kakashi appeared peculiarly delighted when Sakura had casually dropped the question while on her way towards the hospital. _It was only a matter of time before she would ask what kind of talents would fall behind Team Seven, _he figured.

"Kiba's team focuses on tracking and retrieval missions. With his nose, Shino's insects, and Hinata's eyes, those three are unstoppable. Shikamaru's team is unique, too. They're the children of the Ino-Shika-Cho formation. It's a _no-wonder_ why The Third would make them into a squad."

The kunoichi would stare at her feet as she walked with further contemplation regarding the kind of fruit that had grown among her peers. "Lee's team focuses on taijutsu. They'd be amazing for close-combat and mid-range situations. Lee's a master at taijutsu. Neji's ninjutsu is perfect, too. Tenten's weaponry is also flawless."

Sakura frowned, furrowed brows justifying her slight frustration.

"So then why, Kakashi? Why would The Third pair up a couple of _misfit ninja _like us?" Her words would scoff at the term _misfit _as if it were an insult. "I'm not saying Naruto and Sasuke are _freaks_, we've become wonderful ninja in our own right, I can see that. Naruto and Sasuke are..."

Kakashi could not overlook the slight trail in his former-student's words. It instigated his curiosity. He'd egg her on to finish whatever sentence preoccupied her thoughts, but he felt the topic a little too sensitive for something as aggressive as an investigation on opinion. He remained silent, as usual, patiently waiting for her to continue. However despite Kakashi's wishes, Sakura had seem to turn to an opposite direction with the choice of her conversation.

"Naruto's a nitwit and a powerhouse for chakra and Sasuke is an Uchiha with astounding visual prowess and skill- like a prodigy. I remember what Iruka said on the day when he assigned us as a part of Team Seven. Someone as foolish as Naruto with the lowest grades in the Academy would be able to even-out Sasuke and his perfect transcript. I can agree with that, Naruto could really learn a lesson from Sasuke, but..."

"...but it didn't turn out that way, did it?" interjected Kakashi as he tried on a gentler tone. Another trail of Sakura's words had won merit over Kakashi's patience, initiating his response to interrupt her thoughts. For a reaction, Sakura figured a silent, soft shake of the head would suffice.

"Well, Naruto did learn something from Sasuke, although I wouldn't say it wasn't anything near being a _proper_ ninja. Did you know that?"

Sakura smiled, agreeing. "Friendship, right? To Naruto, Sasuke's like a brother to him. _Family._"

"And surprisingly, would you agree that Sasuke was able to learn something from Naruto, too?" In which Sakura only gave Kakashi a very quizzical look after hearing the possibility of Sasuke learning a lesson or two from Naruto. To her the figures appeared improbable. Her teacher only chuckled, finding the elusiveness that hid behind Sakura's disability to understand Sasuke's point of view.

"Sakura, would you agree that Naruto understands Sasuke more than anyone else?"

She was quick to answer that question. "Of course. Naruto has a bond with Sasuke that no one else can ever have."

"And from studying Naruto, you would understand the intensity of this bond with him, yes?"

Sakura nodded.

"Then let me propose this question before you go to see Sasuke at the hospital, today. Does, or does not, Sasuke feel the same?"

In which Sakura would burst with a stubborn, "Of course!" before any hesitation would flaw her answer. Kakashi on the other hand would simply wave an index finger before her nose and smile once more before dismissing her with his last few bits of insight.

"If so, then why did he leave the village all of those years ago?" Kakashi was also able to pick out one more perk that had stood out to him during their brief conversation together. "You're a part of Team Seven, too, Sakura. You also hold a large amount of significance between Naruto and Sasuke."

It later never occurred to Sakura until after her run-in with Kakashi that he had never answered her question, _Why did The Third make us Team Seven? _Her only explanation was so that Naruto and Sasuke would even each other out, Naruto a so-called _failure-student _and Sasuke a so-called _prodigy._ It was absurdly sadistic to laugh at the evident truth that the two of them had switched places, Naruto becoming more of a role-model for the genin of this new generation and Sasuke sinking further into a cesspool of hatred. This only made Sakura's stomach churn. _Where am I in this group?_ As far as she was concerned, at the time that they were genin, Sakura always had the strength and courage relevant to Naruto and the prowess and knowledge that equaled Sasuke's. However that fact had dramatically changed as the three of them grew. For now, and perhaps forever, she would always feel that it would be her duty to devote her time and effort into healing, her own sort of way that would surely protect all who were dear to her, especially Naruto and Sasuke. _Two power-hungry, reckless shinobi must have at least one healer behind their backs in case they do something recklessly stupid._ Though was it enough? She held suspicion that the main reason why her time had been devoted to healing was so that she could do something her two other team members were incapable of doing on their own. It was something to make her unique in the seventh squad. Making Sakura the level headed ninja of their team, most would agree, but did she?

"Sakura? Is that you?"

Sasuke's gentle, albeit inquisitive tone of voice had startled her inner thoughts. Softly closing the door behind her, shoes clacked upon hard stone while she carefully made her way over to her long-lost teammate.

"Yes, it is. How'd you know?" is an innocent throwback to hide the quake in her voice at the realization that despite being blind, Sasuke was still able to know exactly who entered his room. "Is it another power of your Rinnegan?"

"It's not." His hands slid from underneath his blankets before resting them haggardly upon his lap. He appeared rigid, sitting hunched forward in his bed as so. His head had tilted down towards his open hands, yet even though it seemed as if he were trying to find them, there was an emptiness in his atmosphere that hovered his dull posture. It suggested that his current condition kept him from accurately pinpointing where his own hands were on his lap. In fact, in Sakura's perspective, she could almost imagine him squinting through the bandages that wrapped themselves around his head to shield his eyes.

"One of the nurses told me just a while ago that you would arrive promptly with some instructions from Tsunade."

She blinked, genuinely taken aback for an extra little response from a usually unresponsive Sasuke. "Oh, of course. Silly me. Ah...can you still use your Rinnegan? Or your Sharingan?"

_Can you still see at all? _was what Sakura really wanted to ask, but was too afraid to in case of angering the male. Sasuke had pride, she figured. Asking him if he could at least _see _properly might've resulted in an indirect insult, as if asking him if he could still use his Sharingan was any worse.

"Sakura, I've completely lost my eyesight. There's no use asking me about any other power I have that regards my eyes."

Blunt and to the point, regardless of how sad it seemed. To Sakura's evident fear of Sasuke seeing through her intended questions, she felt as if a knife had thrown itself right through her neck, leaving her speechless, embarrassed, or more or less choked. She had definitely heard the crude scowl that growled between his lips.

"O-Oh...right. I'm sorry. Please excuse me."

He sighed after a moment of silence, but thankfully for Sakura it seemed a less harmful response, albeit a little wary. "What did Tsunade want you to tell me?"

"Right. Actually..." she coughed, "...Lady Tsunade didn't give me any instruction. She just wanted me to check to see how you were doing. She was thinking of summoning the former members of the seventh squad for some debriefing, but she also told me that if your eyes were still not working that I'd ask you to not approach her and to continue your treatment until any further explanation regarding the phenomenon of your sudden lost eyesight."

Sakura couldn't lie to Sasuke. She seemed to have no trouble swaying Naruto away from coherently terrible truths however with Sasuke, she never once sweetened her words around him about matters that appeared morbid to reality. She felt as if a filter had broke through her teeth. Sakura cringed at the sudden rocking of Sasuke's mattress, watching him sit straight before swinging his legs over to his bedside.

"I'm going."

The slow creak of his bed resounds with Sakura's panic. She forcibly tries to keep him from standing as her hands plant themselves on his shoulders.

"No! What are you, crazy? You aren't in any condition to even walk. My instruction was, if Uchiha Sasuke still could not see, then I am to not bring him to Lady Tsunade, and that is all there is to it! There isn't any rush! You shouldn't push yourself like that. I bet you barely even know the outline of the Leaf Village if you tried walking through it on your own! A lot has changed since you were last here, ya know!"

Grown desensitized, always tending to Naruto's wounds and his awful shenanigans and reckless attempts with Sai had developed Sakura's tendency to talk back at her disagreeing patients. It was a hardened habit, almost like second nature to her tongue. It dared never to filter itself, and it even seemed to include Sasuke. Genuine concern still held its ground for the boy's sake, but her roughness was a new feature and it oddly took the Uchiha by surprise when the impact of her grasps uncomfortably squeezed his shoulders tight.

"Sakura..."

His eyes were cold, but different. It wavered a new sensation unfamiliar to the kunoichi. It didn't leech fear from her as they always did. It didn't even leave her drowning in a pool of sorrow, however an impending feeling of sadness did touch her heart. _Sadness and fear for the sake of her friend sitting in front of her._

Sasuke had removed the bandages wrapped over top of his eyes. He had unraveled them with harsh tugs until he was sure that they had completely slid off his face. His pupils, diluted and nearly grey, searched and searched for that emerald-eyed female he used to call a _teammate _in what felt like an endless journey into an abyss. Without further words than just the simple call of her name, both Sasuke and Sakura were able to establish that the boy would _never _find girl who stood in front of him. He would _never _know if the direction he looked at was even Sakura at all. Again the reality had hit Sasuke as hard as the usual despite accepting this truth. _Sasuke was utterly blind._ All the medical ninjutsu and eyes in the world would never give Sasuke's vision back. Sakura would know. She had already tried.

"Let me go see Tsunade."

His hands travel to his shoulders, tracing Sakura's fingers and soon clenching her wrists.

"I'm never going to get my eyesight back, and you know it. There's no point in wasting time for something that won't happen."

It felt as if Sasuke wanted to confront the ongoing case of Team Seven's current unknown status. _No, let's face it. We all want to know what will become of Team Seven._ Sakura's irremovable curiosity of her team's fate was the seed to anxiety within not just herself and Naruto, but to everyone who knew them, their peers, family, mentors- just about every member of the village. _The problem children: genin seven._ The world had drastically changed due to the three of them becoming ninja.

She still felt clearly in the right to talk Sasuke down, and yet her logic would always cripple at the other's sheer will to stand. Staring into the male's hollow eyes seemed to reflect the emptiness inside of her own heart. She could plainly see that his eyes weren't even focused on her face, his spacious gaze was too low. With a small sigh she would have no choice but to agree. Standing rather limp she takes one of his hands into hers and slowly leads him up from his bed and outside of his room.

"If anyone asks, I'm taking you out for a walk. I'm sure staff members were instructed to keep you here until further notice of their supervisors," said Sakura. She did not mind Sasuke's lack of an answer as she carefully lead him down the hall. "We'll need to fetch Naruto. I haven't told him yet. I thought you would stay in the infirmary, so I didn't want to get his hopes up..." to which Sasuke still continued to remain utterly silent.

Sakura could feel a sensation of dread impale her, the idea that she would be _presenting _Sasuke to Naruto was unnerving. It had been three weeks since the two of them last fought or spoke. It was uneasy, not knowing the status these two were in. If only there was some sort of reassurance at the time the war had ceased- no, instead the war ended with Naruto carrying an unconscious Sasuke back to the village for treatment. She feared Sasuke's intentions, despite himself rendered useless like this. For all she knew, Sasuke could have disappeared on his own after successfully sealing Kaguya away if given the chance. It was like as if the timing of his blindness was just perfect enough to save the world, and keep him rendered from getting away.


	3. Chapter 3: Empty People and Empty Hearts

Something did not feel right, and Naruto could sense this _void _slip through the space between his fingers and course through his veins. Like blood, at the same time like air. There was an emptiness inside of his chest that bore to a nothingness, an abyss of space. Perhaps too much space. Several doctors had already looked over the boy thrice over since the war, claiming no abnormalities at all. They said that he was just exhausted from all the strain he had endured. Lately Naruto had done the oddest thing since the battle in response to his proposed exhaustion. He rested, and rested. He rested a little more. However no matter how many restful nights of sleep he got, there was still something inside of him that was..._missing._

"Kurama?" he'd call.

No response. The silence was just enough to make him frown, a worried furrow crinkling his brows. Three weeks, and unfortunately Naruto's hidden suspicions seemed to be coming true. Whether or not he was ready to tell the entire village was a question he had yet still no answer for.

"Naruto?"

The voice of a sweet girl, the love of his dreams- music far from the dark, and most certainly not the mysterious tone of what the Kyuubi used to summon the boy from his thoughts. The Leaf's jinchuuriki would raise his head from the rocks, meeting those perfect emerald eyes with a wide grin stricken across his face. The usual.

However the sunshine that shed light to his expression faded when catching the dark hair of a wayward night sky; he even expected to see the blood moon in his eyes.

Sasuke.

"What's going on?" he would ask on pretentious tones. For now, it would be best that Naruto act as if he were not bothered by a single damn thing in the world. In fact he should appear as if he were still celebrating. The five great nations were to be hosting festivals of their victories, still. The blond may permit himself a little morbidity behind his facial expression, he'd think. After all, he remained at best quizzical to see an anxious Sakura slowly leading Sasuke by the hand towards him.

"Lady Tsunade has summoned us. She wishes to have a word with the original members of Team Seven," she explained.

At best Naruto tried willingly to look as carefree, a firm smile not once daring to waver at the corners of his lips. Despite Sakura being the one to talk, his eyes focused solely on Sasuke, alone. The faint greyness that diluted the Uchiha's pupils from their normally dark shade made the boy feel greatly uneasy. _He wasn't still blind, was he?_

"Oh yeah? And what about Sasuke? Why does he look a little zoned out?"

_Of course Naruto would notice_, figured Sakura.

"Ah...well..."

She wondered if Sasuke would give the questioner a valid answer, himself. Instead, he merely closed his eyes for a brief while before reopening them to attentively stare at the grass. One glance was all Sakura needed to go out of her way to speak for him.

"Sasuke hasn't...fully recovered yet."

Whatever words that were meant to come next would choke her upon hearing Sasuke's sharp scoff at the mercy of his gritted teeth. A firm frown that pulled on one side of his face was all it took to leave Sakura on edge. Though luckily for Naruto he did not find his sudden actions suspicious, even more so when Sasuke decided to resume to his usual quotes of the day:

"What are we standing around here for? We shouldn't keep the hokage waiting."

Naruto shrugged. "Yeah, yeah. Let's hurry up. For all we know, Granny Tsunade's probably just gonna scold us for wasting her time, anyway."

Though his eyes flicker to see Sakura again leading Sasuke by the hand as he steadily makes his way with dragging feet.

"Hey, Sasuke. You still can't see?" he'd asked curiously while walking up to his side.

"No, Naruto. He can't." Sakura had suddenly brought it upon herself to answer for him for the future questions to come. "We're still not sure what's keeping him from seeing anything. All of his vitals are fine, and yet his eyes are..."

Naruto is reminded of the uneasiness he felt this morning. _Something did not feel right._ It was not just only him that bargained for his suspicion. Sasuke, too. He is full of wordless conversations. It became Naruto's decision to make himself responsible for helping Sasuke, too.

"Well, it can't be helped for now, can it?" His evasive enthusiasm was what kept Sakura from saying anything more. She felt that even Naruto was aware of the truth that neither of them wanted to speak of, that Sasuke had lost his eyes for good. She watched the boy nervously as he continued to speak more on gallant lips before taking Sasuke's free hand, and the shoulder that corresponded to it.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" she asked.

"What's it look like? I'm helping Sasuke. Hey, Sasuke, if you still can't see, let me be your eyes, too." He grinned as he spoke. "You'll go so slow that we'll never make it to Granny Tsuande."

A thin break at last smooths out Sakura's furrowing brows. _In the end, Sasuke is still Naruto's best friend_, she thinks. And for only a fragment of time, it is as if things were back to the way they used to be. And yet her memories of nostalgia shatter when her eyes glance back to the man who, through gritted teeth, only continued to keep his head down, staring emptily at his feet. She notes the crinkle in his brows. Whether or not they are from frustration or his concentration to see what stood before him is beyond the kunoichi. In fact she suspected the worst, that Sasuke did not want to be around the two of them at all, _at least not like this_.


	4. Chapter 4: More Concern and More Anxiety

They were like a couple of misfit orphans waiting to be adopted by a saint of a parent. Things were not always like this, were they? Though when she had taken her seat as hokage Tsunade could only see just a few sparse glances of how this team used to be, given that they were still little, naive, and ready to take on any task with stubborn enthusiasm. A foolish brat, complaining about getting lousy C-ranked missions, a teacher's pet kunoichi, there to bring a harsh scolding should the brat be too much of a nuisance to tolerate by any other adult, and a composed smart mouth, urging their hokage to get on with the explanation of their mission so that they could leave and be done with this childish display. The three faces that stood before her looked as if they had returned from the dead. Had someone died? Paint these children in black attires, and it would be as if the third hokage had lost his life a second time. Still, Tsunade can't help but feel a little relieved. Naruto and Sakura slowly taking Sasuke by the hand into her office proved her little comfort, but like a double edged sword this would only put her into further concern; Sasuke had a huge hurdle to get over if he was going to take on the new task she would give him.

"What have you summoned us for, m'lady?"

She would lean back into her chair and rest her elbows on top of her armrests. She would exhale a deep breath and keep her eyes fixated on the three of them. It was time to sort them out, no? Tsunade was positive that the three of them were sure they had it coming.

"We need to discuss about Sasuke and it's only right that his former team members be here to listen to what I have to say. I don't mean to probe, Sasuke, but what do you wish to do, now?"

It was not like as if it were Sasuke's choice to return, Sakura figured. Sasuke had fallen as if someone had poured bleach over his eyes. Naruto, unwavering with his kindness towards a friend, brought him home when he was weak with what first aid she had given him to cope with the pain that stung through his eyes. Not once did they get an answer from Sasuke during their travels back home. He needed rest, and supposedly Naruto took advantage of his crippled state to bring him to the village and hopefully keep him there forever.

Did Tsunade see how it happened? Did Tsunade know that Sasuke had been brought here on the possibility that he was brought against his will? Then again, Sakura had no clue of what sorts of thoughts had lurked in Sasuke's mind. He did state about wanting to be hokage, but it was disbelieving. Almost unnatural. Even she could not believe what her ears had heard. No one could. In fact she considered it a joke. Fighting for their lives against the source of all chakra- a god in fact, could mean anything. Proclaiming that they all would become hokage one day, so what? Trembling words of superficial hope: _'If I were hokage, we wouldn't need to fight anymore!' _Things like those were what gave them strength. Did it really? Perhaps it wasn't strength. Words like those only made others laugh, laugh because it was stupid, laugh because that was the only thing they could do at the time they faced war. Laugh at the face of death. Did Sasuke feel afraid? Was it even possible? Was it fear that gave Sasuke the mouth to declare himself hokage? Like a poison it spread, the fear of the end, to every member of their graduating year. _'I will become hokage!' _

"I desire to continue serving this village."

Which was astoundingly good news, of course. Cue Naruto to make a cheesy comment that would soil the intensity of the atmosphere that hung above them, yet he didn't. Naruto said not a word. Rather he stared difficulty into nothing, brows pulled in a furrowing knit. He was focused, but on what? It was hard to say. Were Sasuke's words very difficult to hear?

"But I understand if you have different plans for me, hokage."

Different, yes. Of course. Sasuke was made out to be a high-class traitor for the bingo books of not only the leaf village, but for all of the five great nations. He had kidnapped the jinchuuriki of the village hidden in the clouds, sided with the Akatsuki, and defeated Danzo, the man the leaf village would have grudgingly call _their next hokage._ On top of that, had assaulted many of his former comrades and joined with Orochimaru, a wanted man who reeked of havoc for the village hidden in the leaves. All for the sake of killing his older brother, the man considered to be an underground hero, taken to death as a villain until the very end.

"I'm merely just a hokage. Understand that you have committed crimes that has spread across all five nations. It is no longer in my power to clear your name from the records. As of right now, you are still a high-ranking rogue that has a bounty over their head. It's only natural that we should detain you and let you recover in a jail cell, but that's only if the hokage is kind. Be it anyone else- be it Danzo, and you would have been slaughtered long before now."

In which one could hear a hard swallow from Naruto and watch his teeth clench as he awaited the verdict of his dear friend. Tsunade would finish eventually. She took her sweet time to explain the situation to them.

"But because you joined up with the Leaf to defeat one of the world's greatest threats, and because of your peer's mixed feelings about you, I'm allowing you to live and roam freely about the village for now. I'm allowing you to breathe, Sasuke. You ought to be grateful for that."

Was that why he acquired so many cruel stares from the villagers that day?

"In cases like these, the five kage of the five great nations bring it upon themselves to vote whether or not to deem yourself innocent or guilty. In almost every case, every rogue who has gone through the system has been proven guilty and have been killed for their crimes. I voted for your release, however if everyone does not agree in a consensus with me, you will not be freed of your charges and death will await you."

Naruto immediately opened his mouth: "Wait, hold on Granny Tsunade, can't you just-" before being shut down by Tsunade before any point could be made.

"Silence! Do not interrupt me when I'm talking."

As if a man had wrapped a hand around someone's heart, slowly but surely, he would be tugging on the strings, threatening to rip it apart from their chest. Anger besieged the leaf's jinchuuriki as if it were the kyuubi whose chakra wrapped the boy in a dangerous cloak, bringing hostility just at the edge of his finger tips. Like second nature, an impulsive response, Sakura had grabbed onto that boy's arm and begged him to calm down and wait for Tsunade to finish.

"Come on! Sasuke saved the world for crying out loud! Isn't that enough to clear his name? If he hadn't been there, all of us wouldn't be here right now!"

"Naruto! Please, just calm down!" pleaded Sakura. It was unavoidable for the tears to come as they welled at the corners of her eyes. Despite her pleading it only seemed to fuel the boy in his frustrations to protect Sasuke. His fists clenched; he was ready for a fight if it came to it. Though witnessed is a desperate Sakura, most of her inflicted emotions rooted from her desire to let Sasuke free.

Only then did Sasuke take his first few steps forward on his own. He reached for Naruto despite the sudden conflict in their discussion, feeling through his darkness, the spacious air that surrounded his hand until at last reaching him, placing a firm grasp over the boy's shoulder. Thus in one single act did silence dawn upon them. It left Naruto and Sakura a bit surprised; Sasuke had turned his head towards the blond as if he were staring at him through own fish eyes. It was the first sort of interaction Sasuke had ever attempted with Naruto in a while. It was the first time Sasuke had reached Naruto since the war.

"That's enough, Naruto. Let me take on whatever awaits my fate."

He withdrew with the seventh squad aligned shoulder to sholder before Tsunade, standing tall. No, perhaps they were more morbid than tall.

"You ought to call yourself lucky, Uchiha," she continued. "I've voted in favor of removing your wanted status as a rogue ninja. The kazekage has also voted for your freedom."

"Gaara..." sharply whispered Naruto. Redemption was becoming of him through his tensed expression. He was thankful that Gaara had not forsaken Sasuke. He knew he would understand.

"So did the mizukage. We're only awaiting on two more kage. If one of them votes against Sasuke, his name will not be cleared, do you understand?"

"Wait...the raikage..."

Sakura's faint voice addressing the all too stubborn raikage in the land of lightning brought a long sigh from Sasuke's lips, an appropriate response for a hardened man like the raikage.

"If I hadn't been successful..." murmured Sasuke.

"...then you would have killed the raikage's little brother."

It was uncalled for, hearing Naruto finish Sasuke's sentence so easily under his breath. It was as if it were a final death sentence. Nothing should get through the raikage when angered. In fact, he might've wanted to kill Sasuke himself. Even Tsunade wouldn't be surprised if he had entered the leaf village just to get his hands on the boy. She too sighed, a long breath to exhale her weariness towards the man. Sasuke, knowing all too well of the principles behind revenge, would know for sure that his chances with the raikage were almost impossible.

"What am I to do in the meantime while I wait for their responses?" he asked.

"It's a custom. You'll be spending your time in our highest level-security cell. You will not be allowed to leave and will be under surveillance for twenty-four hours a day."

"Understood."

"Wait- hold on!" Naruto would raise his fists in the air before again being silenced by Tsunade a second time.

"Now is not the time, Naruto."

Tsunade would glare at him, a yearning to shove a fist through his stomach vividly highlighted the sparkle in her eyes.

"Before you go, Sasuke," she added, reverting her eyes back to him.

"About the Uchiha residence- I might as well address this now before you go. Since you're the last remaining Uchiha, the property is technically yours. What would you like to do with it?"

"Keep it in tact," he answered.

"I don't want it. If my name gets cleared, I want full access to the estate, but I'd rather not return there unless necessary," for there were important pieces of information regarding the Uchiha bloodline and the Sharingan inside that he did not want leaked. "I want you to preserve it as much as possible if that's an acceptable request. Naturally you'll need to secure that area. There are pieces of information inside of that estate that may be of use to other nations, should they wish to steal it. I want everyone to know what happened to the Uchiha's. I don't want our name to be forgotten."

"Then it's settled," declared Tsunade as she gestured with a single hand. Members of the ambu had already arrived at the back of the room, already beginning to lead Sasuke by the shoulders out of the office.

"Wait, now? Already?! But can't Sasuke-" Naruto watched his friend get taken away.

"Sasuke, these men will lead you to where you'll be staying in the meantime. When the votes come through, we will let you know of your status."

"M'lady, with all due respect Sasuke's injuries haven't healed yet and-" started Sakura.

"Sasuke's eyes haven't improved in over a month. I suspect that they're out for good. He has completely healed, Sakura. He no longer needs anymore treatment and his eyes no longer need an excuse to keep him in a hospital any longer." Did Tsunade know that his eyes were just an excuse to keep him out of jail?

"Sasuke, you and I have seven days to wait for a final vote. You'll be notified of the results by next week." And that was all there was to it before it became the last Naruto and Sakura would see him in while.


End file.
